Sheet metal telephone booth



May 18, 1954 Filed April 7, 1950 '3 Sheets-Sheet l //v VENTORS J. R. HA/NE 5 xv. MA GEO CH May 18, 1954 J. R. HAINES ETAL 2,678,705

SHEET METAL TELEPHONE BOOTH Filed April 7, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 w :1 KwI l l x w 7 H 1 21 r' TORNEY May 18, 1 54 J. R. HAINES ETAL 2,673,705

SHEET METAL TELEPHONE BOOTH 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 7, 1950 /6 INVEN TORS J. R. HA INES N. H. MA GEOCH By MM ,5 from/Ev Patented May 18,1954 UNITED sures Electric- Company, Incorporated, New York,- N. Y, acorporation of New York Application April 7, 1950,'Ser ial Noi 1 54.5642- Claims. tomes-a).

This invention relates to'telephone booths and more particularlptothoseof the sheet metal type. In certain localities and-undercertain-conditions, metallic telephone booths are preferred over thoseconstructed of wood; However; the durability of the metallic booths andthe simplicity of manufacture are important factors.

4 An'object of the invention isto provide ametalli'ctelephone'bootliwhich is simple in structure, readily assembledarid' exceedingly durable.

With this and other objects in view, the invention comprises a metallictelephone booth, the salient featureof which is a substantiallyushapedsheet' me'talmember forming. two sides and a" back of the boothand secured" in place between a base and top by extending aroundinterior corner posts which rigidly connect the base and top.

The vertical ends of the sheet metal member are bent inwardly to formpockets for portions of two of the interior corner posts whereby thesheet metal member when drawn about the corner posts will form astretched skin-like outer shell of the booth.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent Referring now to thedrawings, attention is directed to Fig. 3 which discloses a base IDhaving integral vertical flanges l I adjacent the two sides and backthereof, a flange 12 being bent inwardly to serve as an entrance portionfor a tread member 15 (Fig. 2) disposed in place after the booth isassembled. Angle brackets l5 are welded to the base i2 adjacent thecutaway corners it, these brackets being provided with threadedapertures I? to receive mounting screws for the interior corner posts18. The interior corner posts are of the cross-sectional contour shownin Fig. 2 being substantially W-shaped with a flattened center portionjoining two angular portions.

The main body of the booth is composed of a substantially U-shaped sheetmetal member of the cross-sectional contour shown in Fig. 3 and of theheight desired for the booth. The member 20 completes the sides 2|, theback 22, the front portions 23, as well as the corner portions 2t.Thefront' portions 2t, whichconstitute' the vertical ends of thememberZB; haveportionsz'i bait-inwardly" to form' pockets orsubstantially iii-shapedends to extend around the adjacent edges eof-thefront"corner posts it: This'structure for-ms the only positiveconnection between the sheet metal member 25 and=the postsi Thetop of'the-booth iscomposed of a box-like member tent within the memberZfl-a'nd rests upon the top ends of the corner posts l8. The top e'ndsof the corner posts are provided with integral flanges it with threadedapertures 32 thereirrtc receive mounting screws (not shown) extendingthrough apertures 33' of the top- 30. It will-be-rioted thatthe topiansubstantially conforms to the interior of the member 20 havingvertically extending flanges 35 with inwardly projecting portions 38provided with threaded apertures 3'! to receive mounting screws (notshown) extending through apertures 38 of a cover plate 39 completing thetop structure.

The flange 35 positioned at the front of the booth is formed so that itis positioned between the front members 23 and whereby its outer surfacewill lie in a plane with the outer surfaces of the members 23. Anaperture 40 is centrally disposed in the top 30 to receive theconventional lighting fixture and the box-like top with its cover 39completes a housing for the necessary wires and electrical connections.

The inner structure of the booth includes panels 12 for the sides andthe back positioned between their respective interior corner posts l8and cutaway at d3 to allow for the leg portions of the posts. The panelsare secured in place by vertical members Mi secured by the aid ofmounting screws it to the central flattened portions of the posts is. Inthe present embodiment of the invention, the panels 62 are composedmainly of a suitable composition such as cardboard 46 provided with asheet metal covering 41.

Channel members 59 are secured to the front corner posts IS, the channelmembers complete the frame structure for the opening of the booth, oneof the channel members serving as a support for the hinge 5i of the door52. The channel members are secured in place by mounting screws 53extending into threaded apertures 53 of the adjacent posts [8.

With the present structure, it will be apparent that the metallictelephone booth may be readily assembled by positioning and mounting theback corner posts to the brackets i5 of the base l0, then locating thefront corner posts within the pockets of the inwardly bent ends of thesheet 3 metal member 20. The front corner posts may be secured inposition forcing the bottom edges of the member 20 within the base I0 sothat the flanges II will be positioned externally of the member. Thefront corner posts are then moved into position and secured to theirflanges [5. The U-shaped sheet metal member 20 is tensioned to positionby any suitable means such as jacks extending between the verticalcorner posts. The top 39 with the cover 39 may be secured in place tothe top of the corner posts I8 which will complete the main shellstructure of the booth causing the sheet metal member 20 to be securedin place in a stretched condition adding to the rigidity of the booth,completing a structure which may be readily assembled and which will beexceedingly durable and rigid. The tread l4 and the panels 42 may bereadily secured in place after which the door may be mounted and afterthe necessary wiring is completed, the lighting fixture disposed inplace, the cover 39 may be mounted on the top 30.

It is to be understood that the above described arrangements are simplyillustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Nu-

posts secured at their lower extremities to said 4 brackets, meanssecured to the upper extremities of said posts retaining said posts inparallel relationship to each other, a substantially U-shaped flexiblesheet metal member having its two vertical edges bent inwardly formingvertically extending pockets, said U-shaped member tensioned about thefront and back posts in a manner as to have one of said pockets receivethe vertical edge of one of said front posts and the other of saidpockets receive an adjacent vertical edge of the other of said frontposts, that portion of said u-shaped member extending between the bentvertical edges in untensioned condition having a length less than thelength of a line extending from the vertical edge of one of said frontposts, about said pair of back posts, and to the adjacent vertical edgeof said other front post.

2. A telephone booth as defined in claim 1 wherein said front and backposts terminate short of the top of said U-shaped member, and said meanscomprises a top unit disposed within said U-shaped member on said frontand back posts and secured thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,028,627 Sherron Jan. 21, 1936 2,176,980 Sherron Oct. 24,1939 2,263,510 Lindsay Nov. 18, 1941 2,313,471 Hallam Mar. 9, 19432,328,618 Corso Sept. 7, 1943 2,345,705 Kuntz Apr. 4, 1944 2,351,419Fuller June 1 1944:

